Classicaloid Series - MozartBeethoven
by starfishies
Summary: Following the Classicaloid season 1 - the episode where Mozart went nuts in the moutains, grieved the loss of his mother and Beethoven had to come and snap him out of it before he rained hell fire down on everyone with his Requiem of repentance! Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, cross posted on Archive of Our Own, Mozart/Beethoven
1. Chapter 1

_You are the most ridiculous thing_ the corner of Beethes' frown tugged at the thought as he combed his fingers through the tangled pink strands. After spending several nights up in the mountains alone, the typically boisterous nymph was now exhausted and spent. Mozart had been so weary from his wilderness shenanigans that upon his return to Otowa, he'd barely made it to the comfort of his bed before collapsing face down on the covers.

Much to the relief of the rest of the household Mozart was clearly too exhausted to be at risk of causing any more harm so they had simply abandoned him in his room following the Hamagon incident. Beethoven had volunteered to check on him intermittently despite Schuu's protests. "Beethoven-senpai, that waste-lot is not worthy of your attention! Let him wallow in the mess he's made - think of the danger he put us all in with his foolishness!" Beethoven hummed and folded his arms across his chest, shaking his head in response to Schubert's pleas. No one cared to argue any further, most retiring to their own rooms and soon enough Mozart's animal foray was practically forgotten.

Beethoven true to his word, checked on his charge regularly. Hourly he would bring a glass of water, or simply pry open the door to sneak a glance at the wild mess of sheets. Having spent most of the night thrashing in vivid dreams, Mozart finally calmed by morning and had begun to rest peacefully. Propped coolly up on one arm, Beethes had stretched out alongside Wolf's thin frame, tucking him protectively under the quilts that he had recovered from the floor - having been tossed about during the night.

He had spent most of that afternoon watching Mozart sleep with great satisfaction. He studied the composer's face as he slept, admiring his feminine lashes and gentle features. His trademark grin had fallen to a small, doleful expression as he slept. Little bits of foliage clung to the frustrating knots that Ludwig worked with his slender fingers, evidence of his recent misadventure. With great concentration, Ludwig gently pulled out each offending fragment piece by piece. Leaves, sticks, even a bits of mud had buried themselves deep within the disastrous locks. __

 _Wolf..._ He tisked in a whisper to himself as he worked on a particularly thick knot. Squinting at the mess of tangled hair, he tugged a small twig loose and accidentally pulled a few thin strands out with it, causing Mozart to stir and peer blearily out from under heavy lids, "Lud-kun?" Mozart said groggily

"Yes" He confirmed in a near grunt as Mozart began to shift and sit up, rubbing his sleep filled eyes in disbelief. "What time is it?"

"Afternoon - you've been asleep since last night."

Mozart turned to confirm the time by the small clock on the bedside table, "Have you been here the whole time?" Beethoven shrugged shyly, "Only for a little while" he lied, scrambling up into a more casual position. Mozart frowned, his face showing his obvious disappointment as he reached for his braid only to find a tangled mess. Picking absently at the ends of his hair, he glanced back at Beethoven who had shifted to sit cross legged, now more interested in the designs on the linens rather than making eye contact.

"Thanks anyway Lud-kun," Mozart slid off the bed and over to the dresser to pick up a silver brush, "I know you'd always look out for me." he forced a giggle, flashing a small smile at Ludwig's stern face as he crawled back onto the bed. Mozart sat opposite, crossing his bare legs in a similar fashion as he started to work on restoring his braid. Beethoven watched longingly as Wolf brushed and tried to free the remaining knots from his hair. Wincing at a few tough spots, Mozart let out a small yelp, "Ow!" Beethoven suppressed a grin at his efforts.

"Like you could do better!" Mozart stuck out his tongue defiantly as he continued to rip at his own hair with the brush, attacking it rather impatiently. Beethoven stuck out his hand with a flat expression and Mozart cocked his head questioningly. Dropping the brush into Beethoven's hand Mozart tossed his hair over his shoulder and turned to face the wall, backing up within the other man's reach. Beethoven felt his chest tighten as he grasped the pink mane and began working the brush in gentle, even strokes. He worked silently until the fair locks were shining and soft. Mozart dropped his head in appreciation of the attention. His scalp tingled when he felt Beethoven's fingers combing through the strands, it stirred a familiar feeling in the pit of his stomach. Mozart dropped his gaze to the floor as he felt a blush creeping across his pale cheeks. He was thankful that Beethoven would be none the wiser from his position.

"Do you want a braid?" the sudden gruffness cut through the silence, almost making Wolf jump from his thoughts. Mozart nodded silently, keeping his head low to shield the deep blush from view. He felt the familiar tug of a thick braid being woven, travelling down his back to the ends of his hair. He tried to push the wicked thoughts from his mind but the sensation of Ludwig's fingers through his hair was just too much to ignore.

"Bow?"

Mozart nodded again, sensing the ribbon being tied stiffly to secure Lud-kun's work. "Sorry Wolf, black was all I had." Mozart fumbled behind his neck, fingering the thick braid and pulling it over his shoulder to inspect the handy work. "Lud-kun!" a huge smile erupted as he spun around to face his friend, "I didn't know you were so good at braiding!" he admired the large bow that was tied neatly at the end of his hair, petting the soft velvety texture with adoration. "It was my first attempt actually." Ludwig admitted, but nevertheless, he felt satisfied at having won his praise. After some time, Ludwig's expression turned serious again

"You scared us Wolf"

Mozart's expression fell , and his bright blue eyes threatened to rain sorrowful tears remembering the events of the past few days. A lump rose in his throat as memories flashed of loneliness, the loss of his mother, and heartbreak. "I'm sorry..." he stammered, dropping his hands from his hair and letting them fall limply to his sides. Beethoven reached to catch them softly, lacing their fingers together. They sat intertwined, starring at one another. Ludwig's stomach twisted as he watched painful hot tears begin to roll down Wolf's cheeks, his chin quivered in a futile effort to hold them back. His heart ached for the tormented pink creature that was breaking in front of him and he squeezed the delicate hands in sympathy. He too had lost his mother and knew the burden all too well. Releasing Mozart's hands, he moved to cup the back of his Wolf's slender neck pressing their foreheads together. He knelt there, holding Wolf while listening to the pitiful sobs and feeling the fat droplets that fell on both of their knees as they bumped together in their closeness. Wolf squeezed his eyes shut and choked between heaves, "I'm sorry..." he whimpered, grasping Ludwig's arms for support, no longer caring that Ludwig was witnessing this pathetic meltdown. "I'm sorry..." he sputtered repeatedly and Ludwig shook his head, pulling him close and pressing him to his chest. With a sigh, he rested his chin on top of the pink mop. He rocked and cooed him in an effort to stem the flow of tears, in response Wolf clung to him tightly.

They remained wrapped up in one another for some time until the sobs turned to whimpers and the tears began to dry. Beethoven stroked Wolf's hair soothingly, leaning back against the headboard and pulling the other man with him, squeezing him protectively. Mozart curled against his chest, still shuddering and hiccuping gently. Seeing his tears had stopped, Ludwig gave a gentle tug on the braid causing Wolf to look up, cheeks still tear stained and damp. "Mozart-senpai" he smiled down at the pink creature, kissing him chastely on the top of his head. Wolf's forlorn pout lifted slowly as he blinked up at his protector in shock, allowing a small smile to break through his trouble expression. Ludwig squeezed him tightly in approval - smiling to himself and holding his master close.


	2. Chapter 2

"How is Motes doing anyway?" Kanae asked absently as she swept the kitchen tile. Bent at the waist and nearly half inside the appliance, Ludwig continued to dig through the refrigerator with a serious expression, having not heard Kanae's voice over the thousand thoughts that were spinning through his head. _What sort of food is in here anyway? Certainly nothing appropriate..._ He grunted to himself tossing a head of lettuce aside, oblivious to Kanae's presence. She paused with a huff, leaning on the broom handle with a clenched fist on her hip. She scowled at Ludwig's backside as it stuck out of the small icebox. "BEETHES!" she barked with great annoyance and he jumped, hitting his head on the plastic roof, nearly knocking over a container of juice. The glass bottle shook and teetered, moving dangerously close to spilling out on to the freshly scrubbed floor. Wincing he pressed his hand to his head, turning towards the threatening voice with a grimace.

"Didn't you hear me? I said _how is Motes doing?"_ She repeated, over articulating her words as if she were speaking to a child. Beethoven looked back at the refrigerator shooting a seething glare at it, then back to Kanae, "Adequate." he shrugged and offered little development, piling a few more items on the counter. It had been a few days since Mozart had returned to Otowa, having slept a great deal of the time, he had been rather quiet. The majority of the household had scarcely laid eyes on him - not that many were complaining. Each morning, Schubert was quick to joyously celebrate the calm and contemplative silence that was the current state of the mansion. Liszt and Chopin were neither here nor there, and Ludwig, well he had other plans.

Kanae eyed his choices with a raised eyebrow, "And where is all this going?"

"Nowhere, it is for me." he lied, looking at the assorted items, juice, cookies, sweets and cakes. "All of it?" Kanae pressed in disbelief, gesturing her broom handle towards the substantial stack on the counter. Ludwig paused, looking between her and the food, and then finally back to her, "Yes." He nodded in confirmation, folding his arms definitively across his chest, daring her to challenge him further. She threw her hands up defensively and rolled her eyes, "Ok sure - I believe you. Whatever you say...if you need me I'll be hanging the laundry..." she muttered in defeat and neatly set the broom back in the pantry. Pausing once more to raise an eyebrow at Beethoven before she left, she simply clicked her tongue and pushed her way through the kitchen door. Beethoven sighed in relief, gathering the food items into his arms and making his way upstairs taking special care not to drop anything.

"Beethoven-senpai!" Schubert called when he caught sight of Ludwig heading for the main stairs, "Senpai!" pushing his glasses nervously up his nose, he jogged to catch up to Beethoven who was clearly in no mood to stop and chat. "Senpai - you look like you need my assistance, may I assist you on your next creative undertaking?" Schubert nodded towards the grocery items that were overflowing from Ludwig's grasp. Looking down at Schubert's hopeful expression from midway up the stairs, Beethoven sighed and scanned his overfull arms. _He could be of some assistance. He could carry some of these things, or at least open the door._ Shaking the thoughts from his head, Beethoven frowned, "No." he answered bluntly, turning quickly back to the stairs and carrying on to the second floor. "But...but..." the sound of Schubert's voice faded as he rounded the corner to the main hall. He didn't need that nosy panderer around, it was hard enough escaping out from under the watchful eye of Kanae.

"Wolf" Beethoven stopped in front of the familiar door, juggling the items from one arm to the other in an effort to grasp the door handle, "Wolf, you must open the door." Instantly the door swung open, though Mozart was nowhere in sight. Beethoven was wary of the scheming prankster as he stepped cautiously into the darkened room. With the heavy curtains drawn, the only light being emitted was from a single lamp that shone from under bed sheets which had been draped over chairs and dressers to create a luxurious den of creativity.

There, perched on a mound of pillows was the flamboyant composer laughing as he made lewd shadow figures on the wall. "Check this one out Lud-kun! Betcha can't guess what this is..." he grinned salaciously before falling into a ball of childish giggles. Ludwig's smirk was conveniently masked by the shadowy darkness in the room as he pretended to ignore Motes, and instead lay out his catch before the great master.

"Oh Lud-kun look at all this stuff! How did you manage to sneak it out of the kitchen without anyone noticing?" Mozart's bright blue eyes nearly doubled in size as he assessed the treats that lay before him. Beethoven shrugged wordlessly and took Mozart's approval of his food as an invitation to crawl under the make-shift tent, pulling his legs in to fold neatly on a large cushion. Beethoven's pride swelled as he watched Wolf light up over the assorted treats he had chosen. He had made sure to gather everything that he was likely to enjoy - mostly sugary confections and chocolates. Anything to please him. A smile tugged at the corner of Ludwig's unreadable expression.

"Oh!" Mozart gasped as he crammed a small cake Beethoven had delivered into his mouth crudely, "This is so good!" he exclaimed as he chewed, sputtering crumbs all about the floor. Ludwig took in his oddly beautiful surroundings, a fortress constructed of blankets and linen, lit by a bare bulb on a small lamp, its cord running ragged along the floor to the nearest outlet. A creative spirit, Mozart was truly a child at heart - a sweet innocence, which Beethoven greatly admired.

Mozart had mostly recovered from his emotional break down days before, but in this recovery time he realized that his room held high entertainment value. He was most especially fond of when he was locked up with his friend Lud-kun. As such, Wolf was not yet prepared to rejoin the other members of Otowa or to face their reprimand for his wrong doings. Shutting out his problems and refusing to face reality, Wolf had instead built a blanket fort fit for a king. He had spent the afternoon drawing caricatures of the Otowa members in order to decorate the walls of his fort. Beethoven was impressed with the striking resemblance of each doodle, including the one of himself which was featured right next to Mozart's own self portrait.

Ludwig, a man of few words, had grown even more shy in Motes' presence ever since the afternoon when he had combed through the composer's pink hair, braiding and affectionately tying it into a bow. He had been visiting Mozart each afternoon, listening to his stories, indulging him with treats and being a sympathetic ear when he needed it. Realizing his romantic feelings for the pink haired man were growing steadily, Ludwig was terrified. Here Mozart saw him as a friend. Ludwig feared may be rejected by his idol if Wolf were ever to discover the true nature of his feelings. Beethoven blushed just thinking about the idea of being close to Mozart, being able to hold him again - touch him, and even kiss him. These thoughts were always followed by heavy feelings of guilt and shame which he knew he could never express, for he knew men were not made to lay with men.

Mozart had also felt differently since his return to the mansion. Sensing the hairs on his neck raising when his hands brushed against Lud-kun's or the small flutter deep in his belly when he heard Ludwig's voice approach. Mozart was no stranger to love, but having these feelings towards another male was entirely new and he was nervous to explore further. He hoped Ludwig would remain non-the-wiser, choosing to believe that Ludwig's kiss that previous afternoon had simply been an expression of compassion - nothing intended to stir things further. How could someone so rigid and constrained as Ludwig ever be open to feelings of a romantic nature? Mozart sighed heavily at the depressing thought and Beethoven tilted his head in response as if he read his mind, but to Mozart's relief, Ludwig chose not to pry.

Settling back down on the cushions to continue his drawings, Mozart chatted to Ludwig as he drew. Ludwig watched him scrawl effortlessly along the paper, drawing as naturally as he composed. He was sketching out some dog-like creature, adding features as he talked. "Do you think I should give this one wings? What should I name him?" Mozart grinned up at Ludwig who's mind was focused elsewhere. "Lud-kun?" Wolf called to him, catching him staring at the caricatures on display. Mozart hummed with a snort, "Are you staring at Liszt's boobies?" Mozart grinned slyly, "You silly boy can't you tell I made them extra big!" he began to giggle, but Ludwig only shrugged. Mozart's smile fell, "Is something wrong?"

Ludwig shook his head, "I wasn't looking at Liszt, Wolf"

"Oh." Mozart said with surprise, he glanced over the portraits, sitting up on his knees and placing his hands on his hips. "Well which one are you staring at?" he chirped curiously, "Now I know I took some liberties with my - " Mozart was silenced mid sentence when Ludwig leaned forward and kissed him suddenly and without warning. It was soft and lightening quick, but it was clear to Mozart that this one was no mistake.

Pulling away wide eyed, his mouth fell open slightly, "Lud-kun..?" he stammered in disbelief, sinking back down onto the cushions slowly. Realizing what had just happened Beethoven's expression quickly turned to panic and he bolted upright, accidentally dislodging the roof of the fort causing him to stumble backwards in a tangle of sheets, knocking over the lamp. The bulb was sent crashing to the ground and smashed into a thousand tiny shards plunging them both into complete darkness. In the pitch black, they could hear each other's frightened panting. "I have to go" Beethoven muttered nervously as he fumbled his way through the darkness to the door, quickly escaping to the safety of the hall nearly slamming the door shut behind him. Pressing his back up against it with his hands still gripping the cool metal knob, he squeezed his eyes shut and cursed himself silently. _Fool._

He growled at himself angrily and opened his eyes to see Liszt staring at him in the hallway with her arms crossed, "Something wrong Beethes?" she arched her golden brows in confusion.

Inside the room, Mozart sat frozen on his throne of pillows in the sudden darkness surrounded by the scattered ruins of his refuge. He lifted his trembling hand to his parted lips, feeling the fading tingle as if to confirm the reality of the situation. "Lud-kun?" he squeaked barely above a whisper, but the call was futile, he knew he was already gone.


	3. Chapter 3

Nearly a week had passed and Otowa had once again been transformed into Mozart's playground. Much to the residents' dismay, the so-called pink demon rose early each morning and resumed his customary trickery. He'd glide through the halls laughing as he went, bumping into passersby as he skittled around corners in an effort to dodge the angry shouts that chased after him.

From Schubert who was just waking to find his glasses defaced to Liszt stepping out from the bath to notice her towels and bathrobe had been snatched. "MOTES!" Liszt hissed through a crack in the bathroom door, "Get back here with my towels _NOW!_ " Hearing his uncontrollable laughter in response, she growled and slammed the door in frustration . Clearly she had to come up with her own solution in order to get from the shower to her room without being caught soaking wet from head to toe. She was about to give up and brave the chilly walk through the hallway when she heard a sharp knock on the door. Narrowing her eyes at the handle she answered in a threatening whisper, "Mozart I swear to God if that's you, I'm going to - " she opened the door a crack and stuck her head out into the hallway suspiciously, expecting to see that ridiculous pink haired clown with one of his toothy grins. To her surprised, she was instead greeted by the flat stare of Beethoven who had extended his arm towards her with a plush robe. "Beethes - thank you! I wasn't expecting... _you_." she grabbed the robe through the thin opening and pulled it against herself. "I'll be out in one minute" she clicked the door shut and Beethoven stood staring at the closed door, arms folded with his stern gaze cast downwards to the floor. _Liszt will know what to do, her Musik is all about Love - is it not?_

The door flew open and Liszt nearly walked right into Beethoven's imposing stance as he stood before the exit. "Ah! You're still here? The bathroom is all yours - you'll need your own towels though..." she scoffed raising an eyebrow, still on the look-out for the offending braided thief. "Actually, do you have a moment to discuss something?" Ludwig said bluntly, ignoring her comments about the bathroom towels. "Well..perhaps once I am dressed how about that?" Liszt frowned in confusion, never having had Beethoven request her personal opinion on any subject and most especially not when she was in the nude! She was intrigued. Beethes grunted in acquiescence of her request and he silently side stepped to allow her to move towards her room. His eyes followed her to her door but his stern expression remained unreadable. Wrapped in her borrowed robe, she slipped quietly into her room leaving Beethoven to wait outside in the hall. Just as she had vacated, Mozart whizzed around the corner making his second sweep loudly humming as he skated, hands resting lazily behind his neck.

Mozart's humming began to fade and his skating slowed as he locked eyes on Beethoven who stood leaning against the wall with a grave expression. Nervous panic began to twitch in Mozart's belly. Wolf admitted to himself that he had been avoiding Ludwig since he had kissed him so suddenly the other day. He had spent much of the previous nights lying in bed thinking about how it had felt, how it had been warm and innocent, but also how it had left him yearning and for what he was not sure. "Hey Lud-kun..." Mozart chirped with false excitement, pushing the pesky knot of feelings down low. Ludwig was snapped from his thoughts by the sound of Wolf's voice. He looked up with a softened eye and nodded in acknowledgement, but he too was far too tense to break the ice.

Cautiously Wolf braked his rollers just short of where Beethoven stood, hoping things would lighten up between them if he could just force a conversation. _A joke? No...Beethes hates my jokes..._ Mozart's eyebrows knitted up in wonder as he tapped his chin lightly. _Got it!_ His eyes sparkled and a brilliant smile quickly spread across his face, "Beethes - do you want to go fishing today?" he practically begged causing Ludwig frowned in confusion. _He's never shown interest in my fishing before...except that one time when Schubert turn himself into a...nevermind._ Beethoven shook the thought from his head just as Liszt popped her head out into the hall, "Beethes - I'm ready for you my love" she winked before noticing Mozart standing there dumbstruck, with his mouth agape.

Beethoven looked to Liszt and then back to Wolf, his stomach dropped when he noticed questioning blue stare. "Maybe later Wolf" Ludwig sighed, knowing Liszt's unwelcome timing as well as the rejected invitation to play was likely torturing the poor creature. "Ok" Mozart said softly with a tinge of sadnes, he shrugged, "...later"

Ludwig unfolded his arms and sighed heavily before turning away from Wolf's disappointed expression and followed Liszt into her room, shutting the door behind him. He leaned his head back against the door and looked upwards, covering his face with his hands and pressing forcefully against his temples in frustration. "Liszt please help me" he said in a huff of exasperation, running his fingers through his hair in a show of great aggravation.

"Oh?" She grinned, sitting back on her bed while crossing her shapely thigh over her knee. "I love gossip Beethes...do tell!" she bite her bottom lip and placed her hands on her crossed knee delicately. Ludwig closed his eyes and inhaled sharply, digging deep to find the courage.

Just a few feet away, Mozart's desire to prank faded as he slid down the wall to sit on the wood plank floor with a dull thud. _Lud-kun doesn't want to talk to me anymore. I don't know what to do._ He drew his knees up and held them to his chest, resting his chin on his knees in reflection. _Does he feel the same when we kiss? What if he's in that room kissing her too?_ That last thought made him want to scream. It made him want to cry. Perhaps both, but he couldn't understand why. A bitter pit of jealousy began to bubble deep in his gut the more he wondered what Beethoven and Liszt were doing in there. He started to pick absently at his rollers, replaying the events of the past few days in his clouded head. _I must be losing my mind._ Kicking off his heelies and dragging himself to stand, he trudged back to his room with his shoulders low, sensing that now more than ever, he had no one.

In the respectful quiet of Liszt's room, Beethoven had spent the better part of an hour explaining his troubles to the sympathetic ear."That's beautiful Beethes - it's love in the purest form." Liszt gasped, gripping the edge of her bed in a semi-morphed state, gushing happily at Ludwig's story. She could barely contain her Musik during Ludwig's retelling, her heart swelled at the thought of the brooding figure divulging his budding feelings of affection. Beethoven remained unmoved, lips flat and expression dull. "So this _is_ possible." He confirmed hesitantly, shoving his hands in his pockets trying to ignore his feelings of embarrassment. "Oh yes! Most definitely - just ask Cho-chan to show you some pictures online. Beethoven my dear, _anything_ is possible." She giggled suggestively and stood to embrace him enthusiastically. He stiffened awkwardly in her arms. "This has been most helpful" he thanked her plainly and with a quick nod, he politely backed out of her room half expecting to catch Mozart with his ear pressed against the door. He frowned when he noticed the trademark shoes abandoned in the hall, but strangely their exuberant owner was nowhere to be seen. Beethoven plucked the familiar shoes from the floor and cradled them briefly, _I suppose we both need to tell him where we've been._


	4. Chapter 4

Up with the sun, the quietest member of the household was readily tapping away at his computer, updating his most recent forum post. _And that is how I saved the fluffiest puppy...wait. Delete that last bit._ Chopin decisively cracked the submit icon and sat back to watch the post load with a satisfied grin. Deciding this peaceful hour was the best time to sneak downstairs before anyone else, he warily poked his head out into the hall to see if the coast was clear. Confirming his invisibility, he slipped down the stairs and tip-toed into the kitchen without a sound. Quickly zeroing in on the cereal cupboard, he began to gather his daily essentials with increased haste, lest someone discover his presence. Hearing the approaching click of heels towards the door he froze in fear, his hand shakily gripped the edge of a cereal box that was stored on the top shelf.

"Don't stop on my account Chopin" Schubert muttered as he entered the kitchen, walking past the ghostly figure as he headed straight to the sink to fill the kettle. Setting the tin pot on the stove top, Schubert stood by to keep watch over the boiling process, completely ignoring the frozen caricature that stood but a few feet away. "Would you care for some coffee this morning?" Chopin swallowed hard, slowly lowering his trembling arm from above his head, clutching the prized box. He did not respond, but instead fidgeted nervously as he plotted his best route of escape."It's a very good batch, you might like it." Schubert tempted, offering a lopsided grin to which Chopin shook his head.

"Good morning!" Liszt sang as she burst through the door with her golden hair wrapped up tightly in a towel. Shocked by her sudden entrance, Chopin's cereal box flew through the air spilling its contents every which way. Even Schubert raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Indeed." he balked at Liszt's sing-song energy. "Cho-chan, my dear you'll never guess who came to visit me yesterday..." Liszt cooed at Chopin, stroking his cheek affectionately. She hummed, smiling at the trembling man as she continued her one sided conversation. "It seems our Beethes is in love!" she sighed but her eyes sparkled brightly.

"What?" Schubert whispered in disbelief as his mouth fell open.

"I told him to come see you for some pictures - I had a hard time explaining it to him." Liszt carried on merrily, ignoring Schubert's growing interest in the conversation. He remained close to the bubbling pot, eaves dropping from a distance.

"Pictures?" Schubert repeated to himself

"You'll never guess who it is either..." she teased, nudging Cho-chan's shoulder gently while wiggling her eyebrows. Just at that moment, in walked the man himself. Beethoven entered quietly, eyeing everyone cautiously. The conversation ceased immediately. "Oh, good morning Beethes! I was _just_ talking about you." Liszt applauded his arrival, to which he raised a questioning eyebrow."Beethoven-senpai, what she means is that she was discussing a conversation you both had recently...not so much you, _yourself_. We would never talk about you senpai" Schubert stuttered and interjected awkwardly. Beethoven narrowed his eyes towards Liszt distrustfully, "Oh?" Ludwig questioned. "I told them nothing of what you said, don't worry Beethes" she laughed, "Right Cho-chan?" she added, feeling anxious under Ludwig's steely grey eyes. Chopin nodded in confirmation, wishing he could simply fly away. All of this tension was making him jittery. "I was just telling Cho-chan-san about how you might want to look up some pictures or information online. You know, about...what we discussed."

Schubert's eyes darted between the two parties with great confusion. "Forgive me senpai - but, pictures of what? And who is the beautiful woman who has managed to captivate the heart of the great master?" he laughed cautiously, pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose."Nothing" Beethoven barked defensively, causing everyone to jump. He paused in contemplation before adding, "And _she_ isn't anyone."

Liszt bit back a giggle hearing Beethoven's aggravated response to the nosy questions. Beethoven shot her a threatening glare and she waved her hand dismissively towards both men, "Not to worry Beethes, your secret is safe with me." Liszt smirked just as Mozart wheeled in smiling, losing his balance over the spilled cereal that littered the floor. Flailing dramatically, his face turned to panic as he lost his balance and rolled backwards before hitting the floor hard with his backside. "Ow" he winced, looking confusedly at the puffed rice that surrounded him. Chopin shrugged.

"I see you've found your shoes" Beethoven shook his head at the mess, watching the disheveled composer scramble back to his feet. Righting himself, Mozart stood rubbing his tail bone apologetically. "Ya! Somebody left them outside my door last night. So weird." He snorted, causing Schubert to hiss. He hated that man, so juvenile, uncouth and repulsive. "Too bad they didn't throw them away..." Schubert muttered lowly but fortunately the whistling of the kettle masked his barbed commentary.

"You had left them outside my room" Liszt grinned, "So Beethes brought them back for you after our chat last night" she nudged Chopin suggestively, pink rising in her cheeks as she struggled to contain herself. "Oh ya? Thanks Lud-kun" Mozart flashed an affectionate grin at Beethoven who remained tight lipped about the whole situation. _No senpai! Why ? That little brat is lucky I wasn't the one to find those stupid shoes..._ Schubert's eyes widened at Liszt's hint to her companion. Her playful shove and the soft blush were telltale signs that something very serious was going on here, right in front of his very eyes. He did not like this secretive behaviour one bit.

"So what was this love conversation all about then?" Schubert attempted to redirect the conversation casually, but all eyes turned to him with annoyed glares. "...well?" he squeaked awkwardly, beginning to squirm under the gaze of the various eyes in the room. "What are you talking about?" Mozart's brow creased in confusion, "...Who are you anyway?" he nodded towards Schubert.

Schubert let out an exasperated scream, his fists shaking as clenched his fingers hard into his palms. _"You idiot! Why must you ruin everything?! Beethoven-senpai was about to tell us of his love before you marched in here and drove everything off topic! You're an embarrassment - utterly!"_ The group simultaneously raised their eyebrows in shock after playing audience to Schubert's theatrical outburst. In the ensuing silence, Mozart scratched his head for a moment and shrugged, "So she's pretty right?" Schubert rolled his eyes and groaned. _Idiot._

Liszt smirked and looked to Beethoven curiously, wondering how he would handle _that_ question.  
"Do you really have to know?" Ludwig grunted, folding his arms in his customary show of annoyance. Mozart squinted at his rigid expression and grinned, "I suppose not..."

"Beethoven-senpai has obviously chosen someone of great physical beauty - but likely, and certainly more important, a kindred spirit." Schubert sighed at his own poetic thought, "Someone with whom he can share his artistic soul, his gift for music and his passion for creativity." He swooned romantically, "And who's got great boobies." Mozart added gleefully.

"I don't think that part is so important to Beethes" Lizst corrected quietly, tugging Chopin towards the door with a Cheshire smile. Beethoven just shook his head as he turned to follow suit. "So you won't tell us about her senpai?" Schubert called after him desperately."It's not about _her_." Liszt's silvery laugh wafted back through the kitchen door. Schubert stood scowling at Mozart who was busy picking pieces of breakfast cereal out of his hair whilst humming some obnoxious tune, making distracting faces as he did so. Then, the sudden reality of Liszt's comment burst into his mind - the dots connecting seamlessly, pointing to a horrifying and irrefutable answer.

"No!" Schubert gasped angrily, causing Mozart to lock eyes on him for a brief moment before happily resuming his loathsome self preening.

 _Idiot._ Mozart thought obliviously as he continued to pick. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Uh, ya sure Motes - over there." Sousuke gestured absently towards the tablet that lay dormant on his sofa. "Thanks!" Wolf snatched it possessively from the cushion and clutched it against his chest, "Just bring it back when you're -" Sousuke's sentence trailed off as he turned over his shoulder to see Mozart had already vanished. Sousuke shrugged dismissively and turned back to his computer screen, shaking his head.

Pressing Pad-kun's screen to his front secretively, the spritely character slinked back to the seclusion of his room making sure to lock the door securely behind him. "Ok buddy, just you and me..." he said through a sigh as he crawled onto his bed, moving to sit cross legged while laying the tablet out on his lap. Tentatively, he began typing into the nearest search field as the screen lit up, "Whoa - hold on there Mozart! Does Sousuke know you're asking me to look at this kind of thing?" the blue screen flashed with a shocked visage of punctuation as Mozart hovered above the entre button in the browser. Mozart furrowed his brow defensively, "Well for your information - you're currently on loan to me right now. Just think of it as a special assignment." Ignoring the protest, Mozart hit search. When the main screen loaded, his bright blue orbs grew wide. "Listen, I'm not an expert on this subject - not being human myself - but I think these images are going to give you the wrong idea. What is it that you really need to know?" The screen of the tablet cleared the scandalous images and restored the screen to the plain home page of the search bar. "Hey!" Mozart whined childishly, "I'm sorry dude, but I'm not into showing _that_ kind of stuff - maybe you can do that on some other computer..." Rolling his eyes, Mozart crossed his arms in a pout, "It's not what you think! I'm trying to learn about something Pad-kun! Not...you know, entertain myself - it's entirely scientific, I swear."

"Well at least let me help you with your so-called scientific research. Simply typing the words _man love_ into an image search isn't going to give you anything scientific." Pad-kun's screen flashed a series of explicit images to prove the point. "Oh my..." Mozart muttered under his breath, nosing closer to the screen in a mix of both horror and intrigue. "Exactly" quickly pulling up an educational website on the human body complete with anatomical drawings, Pad-kun chirped "Now what did you need to know - _scientifically speaking_?"

"I need to know what happens when a man falls in love." Mozart muttered bashfully with a frown, feeling his nerves begin to grow, "...with another man." he swallowed hard, fidgeting with the blanket that lay across his bed. The screen went black, which made him suck in a sharp breath in surprise. "Is it that bad?" Mozart whimpered as he crawled onto his belly, practically pressing his nose to the darkened screen in a panic. "Answer me!" he wailed, pulling at his hair desperately.

"Love is defined as (noun) an intense feeling of deep affection." The screen lit up with the textbook definition, including several examples of love being used in a sentence. Mozart groaned with annoyance and flopped onto his back to stare up at the ceiling, "I knew you wouldn't understand - I need to know how it works for two _men_. I don't need a grammar lesson!"

"Love knows no gender."

Glancing sideways at the flashing screen, he exhaled loudly through his nose. "I mean... you know, two men _physically_." Pad-kun went quiet again as Mozart rolled onto his side, propping himself up on one arm to gauge the little screen's reaction. "Are you by chance doing this research project with Beethoven?" Mozart scrambled up on to his knees with a hiss, "No!" he spat, placing his hands defiantly on his hips, "What makes you say that?"

"He was asking me similar questions just yesterday. It seems unlikely to be coincidental."

"He did?" Mozart lowered himself down onto his front once more, quieting his voice to a near whisper "What did he search for?"

"I can't tell you that - but I can say that it was suspiciously similar to what you're asking me now." Mozart clicked his tongue in response and flopped backwards onto the pillows dramatically "Pad-kun! You're not helping me at all!"he whined, "Maybe you should just talk to him, don't you think?" Mozart shook his head silently, "Sometimes we just need to open the lines of communication. I think he wants to talk to you as much as you want to speak with him." the tablet offered soundly.

"No - he doesn't." Mozart muttered bitterly, rolling away from the screen and curling himself up tightly. "Lud-kun has been avoiding me for weeks now. I even offered to go fishing with him and he said no."

"Maybe he is very shy - have you considered that? Perhaps he is just as confused as you are, and maybe he just wanted to get some answers before you approached him." Mozart scoffed at the idea of Beethoven being shy. Unlikely. Wolf snorted to himself while clutching his braid absently. Its tight pink locks reminded him of the hands that had raked and combed through the knots with tenderness and care. Taking time to work the strands into perfect order. A small smile peeked at the corners of his flat expression, "It's been so boring without him." Mozart lamented in a small groan, sitting up allowing his feet to dangle freely over the edge of the bed. Facing away from the tablet he hung his head dejectedly, "Then it's time for you both to make your peace." Looking sadly over his shoulder at the fading images he pressed his lips together and grabbed the tablet with a twisted frown.

Walking slowly back to Sousuke's room, Mozart stared at his own reflection in the glass of the hand held device. _What am I supposed to do now?_ Throwing open Sousuke's door he tossed Pad-kun onto the sofa and turned to leave just as Sousuke peeled his headphones off, "Hey - uh Motes, did you get what you were looking for?" the boy asked with half interest, still glancing back at his live gaming screen "No - but thanks anyway." Wolf mumbled, trudging back out with his head hung low in defeat.

Before he could get past the threshold however, he was met with a familiar pair of dark boots. "Hey" Mozart said with surprise, jumping back slightly in order to avoid a direct crash with a none too impressed Ludwig. Beethoven stared him down seriously, placing his hands on his hips squarely. Raising a pink eyebrow at his impassible stance Mozart tilted his head in confusion, "Er, is this a game?"

Beethoven grunted and pursed his lips before responding coldly, "Come. Now." Compelled by his severe tone, Mozart did as he was told. Following as Beethoven lead him back to his own room, Mozart began to feel uneasy. "Can we use your room?" Beethoven paused before opening the door, Mozart nodded with a shrug. "Good." He opened the door wide, gesturing his companion inside.

"Sit" Beethoven commanded and Motes immediately sat on the edge of the bed, hands folded in his lap wearing a worried expression of doubt. Beethoven began to pace about the room, hands rubbing together aggressively in an effort to sooth his fraying nerves. For once in his boisterous life, Mozart sat quietly. He wasn't sure if he was in trouble, or if Beethoven was about to share something terrible but he could sense that whatever it was, it was very serious.

Exhaling loudly, Ludwig turned his back to Mozart in order to gather his thoughts. "I'm sure this is all going to seem very, _unnatural_ , and believe me when I say this Wolfgang - I am not at ease in saying it." Mozart's eyebrows shot up in surprise, now completely unsure of where this conversation was going. "When I ..." Ludwig, normally composed and articulate, struggled for the words, "..when we..." sighing with frustration Beethoven dropped his head ashamedly. He was at a complete loss, despite having gone over this in his mind for days now, the words just refused to come out.

"When we kissed?" Mozart finished quietly

Beethoven grunted in response, turning around to face Mozart who remained stone-like on the bed. His delicate hands were clasped neatly, with his thick braid slung over his shoulder wearing a sweet smile. He waited patiently for Ludwig to continue his thought, smiling up at him encouragingly. The soft sparkle of blue made Ludwig's heart ache, rendering him incapable of finding the words to continue. "Lud-kun..." Mozart whispered softly as he reached out for his hands. Beethoven reluctantly took them in his own, sinking to kneel on the floor before the smaller man. "I've been avoiding you thinking this would all go away, but, it hasn't" he began, looking down at Wolf's shoes bashfully. Mozart allowed him to continue without interruption, "But being apart from you has been more torture than I can bear." Beethoven breathed heavily before daring to look up at the deep blue that was intently focused on him. "I've been lonely without you too" Mozart admitted softly, squeezing the firm hands that held his own.

"I need you to know that I care about you - and when you disappeared on us, I realized how much you meant to me. How scared it made me. I've lost so many people that I love Wolf, I can't..." Mozart's chin began to quiver as he slid to his knees to join Ludwig on the floor. Cupping his face and searching his emerald eyes, he murmured softly, "Kiss me" with tears threatening to spill over. Beethoven's face softened as he reached forward to encircle Wolf's slender frame, pulling him against his own chest. "Please" he begged in a whisper and Ludwig finally obeyed, crushing his own lips to the trembling pink mouth. This time they savored it. This time it was real.

Breaking apart they leaned their foreheads against one another, staring breathlessly. Wolf dropped his hands to Ludwig's chest as he felt the other man's embrace relax slightly, allowing some room to breathe. "I'm sorry I avoided this." Mozart whispered while tracing gentle patterns on Ludwig's chest. Ludwig hummed, tucking the pink hair under his chin and squeezing him tightly, "Me too."


End file.
